So here's the next chapter. I'm happy to be home and writing for you guys again. When I saw I made it to one hundred reviews, I like screamed for joy. It made me so ecstatic. It brightened my day. So now I want to brighten everybody's. I hope you really enjoyed this. This was one of the chapter that just flowed right out of me and onto Microsoft Word. It was insane how fast my fingers were flying cross my keyboard. So thanks again for the love, reviews and alerts. I've said this before and I'm goign to say ti again: you guys sure know how to make a girl feel appreciated. Enjoy:

Damon walked into the warehouse with a scowl on his face. He had to leave Elena for this bullshit. People really needed to learn how to behave. Everyone was moving out of his way as he just walked through the building. Everyone knew what was going on. He could hear the yelling getting louder as got closer to the stairs that led directly to the basement.

"Bullshit and you know it!" A deep voice yelled.

All Damon could see was red. All he could feel within himself was pure anger. This was exactly why you could never just hire anyone. Some people misunderstood hierarchy. You listen and shut the hell up. That was all. Your opinion was not needed or welcomed. If you didn't understand, you could leave. If you leave, you make sure you keep quiet unless you want to become a floater in the river on the other side of the woods.

"Shut the fuck up Ben!" A different voice yelled.

Damon descended the stairs slowly and he could hear shuffling around. As soon as he reached the bottom he could see a guy on the floor bleeding and Maddox standing over him with a nine millimeter pointed down at him.

"Maddox put the gun down." Logan said but Maddox was in a rage.

Maddox shook his head just looking at the guy on the floor with red eyes. Something had happened, something went really wrong. Damon was beyond pissed off now.

"Put the damn gun down Maddox." Damon said.

Maddox's head shot up as soon as Damon's voice was heard throughout the room. Everyone was looking at Damon now. There were at least twenty guys in the room including Logan, Maddox, Brady and the guy on the floor who Damon couldn't make out. Damon approached the group without another word. Maddox put the gun down and Damon put his hand on his shoulder when he reached him.

"Go cool off. Don't let this set you off. Be smart Maddox. Always think before you act. That's how you'll get to the top." Damon whispered into his ear.

Maddox nodded his head and Damon spotted Luca. He nodded his head for Luca to follow his friend and make sure he wouldn't do something idiotic. Luca nodded and followed Maddox out the room. Damon looked down at the ground to see Ben wiping his blood streaked face.

"What the fuck happened here?" Damon yelled out.

The room was deadly silent. No one wanted to get in his way. Damon looked livid and everyone knew it was smart to stay quiet than get stabbed or shot.

"Oh, so no one can fucking speak now? I asked what the fuck happened?"

Logan stepped up and walked over to Damon. He leaned into him knowing it was best to keep the man calm than start yelling about how Ben disrupted the business.

"Ben and his friend Brady had a disagreement. The two started fighting throughout the warehouse. They shuffled all over the place until they reached the back room that Luca and Maddox use. Maddox got some bad news about his daughter. She caught RSV and is in the hospital. He was on the phone with his fiancé when the two idiots bounded into the room fighting and he got pissed off. Suddenly he jumped into the fight and Brady backed down. Ben wouldn't do the same though. Maddox was ready to kill him; I was trying to calm him down when I had Luca call you." Logan told Damon quietly into his ear.

Damon stalked over to Ben with a scowl on his face. Damon made a gesture so Ben stood up. Without warning, Damon struck him in the nose and Ben fell back a couple of steps.

"Have you lost your damn mind?" Damon yelled punching Ben again.

Damon repeatedly punched him the face until he fell. As Ben hit the ground, Damon just kicked him in the side.

"I'm running a fucking business if you didn't fucking notice! Who the hell did you think you were to disrupt my workplace?" Damon questioned as Ben backed up into a door.

Damon just kicked him the stomach. Ben held his stomach as blood poured from his mouth.

"I had to leave my girl to come handle this shit because you wanted to fight your little bitch!"

Damon bent down to Ben and grabbed his face.

"I give you a job and welcome you into my family. I give you power and this is how you return the favor." Damon said quietly but everyone could hear.

"No, I promise." Ben said after moments of spluttering out nonsense.

"I don't think I believe that. It seems like you're saying fuck me and fuck Jeremy. Fuck this family! Is that how you feel?" Damon yelled into Ben's face.

Ben managed to shake his head no despite the pain he was feeling everywhere in his body.

"I didn't think so. Next time you won't get it this easy," Damon said getting up and turning to Brady, "You ever do this again; you'll be on the ground next to him. Clean his dumbass up."

Brady just nodded his head and headed over to Ben. Damon looked around to see everyone watching him for his next move.

"Did anyone see where Maddox went?" Damon questioned.

"He went outside for a smoke. Luca is out there with him boss." One of the guys said.

Damon nodded and smirked at Logan. He headed up the stairs in a hurry to talk to Maddox. He found him on one of the balconies smoking a blunt and talking to Luca. Damon approached them both.

"Luca let me talk to Maddox. You can come back out when I leave."

Luca just nodded his head and went inside the building. Maddox continued to smoke looking upset.

"Why are you still here Maddox? Logan told me Sarah is at the hospital because Lucie caught RSV. You should be with your family." Damon said leaning over the railing looking at Maddox.

"I've got a job to do. I'm not off for another two hours."

Damon smiled at Maddox's loyalty. That was why he was one of their right hand men.

"Well I give you the night and however long you need off. Jeremy would tell you the same. He would have shot Ben in the leg for pulling this shit after you found that out. Go on and if you need some extra money to pay for her treatment just let me know."

Maddox looked over to Damon in appreciation. He dropped the blunt onto the ground below them and stepped on it. Maddox gave a small smile to him.

"I couldn't ask for that." Maddox said a little over a whisper.

"You don't have to ask. I'm offering. You're family and family takes care of family. Just go to your baby girl and make sure she's alright. Text me when you find out."

Damon could see the tears in Maddox's eyes. He just nodded his head at Damon and left in a hurry. Damon exhaled deeply looking out over the terrace. You could see some of Mystic Falls in the distance, it was small but it was there. Damon walked back inside to see Luca leaning on a wall without a facial expression.

"Do you think you could handle it from here?" Damon asked Luca.

Luca nodded his head and a small smile came upon his lips. Damon smirked at him.

"Good, I've got a girl to see about a sleepover." Damon said making Luca laugh.

"Good looking boss." Luca said chuckling.

Damon and Elena walked into the Boarding House with the bag full of the cookies. Elena seemed upset to him but he couldn't really tell. He had picked her up from her house not even half an hour ago. They walked up to his room in silence. After several minutes of silence, Damon could not take it anymore.

"Did I do something Lena?" Damon inquired from her.

"Why is there blood on your shirt?" Elena asked him for the second time that night.

"I told you I went to the-"

"Warehouse, yea I know. You told me that. That's not answering my question and I would appreciate if you didn't just brush my questions aside like I never spoke." Elena said narrowing her eyes at him.

Damon sighed, running his hand over his face. Tonight was going to be a long night.

"Lena, I wasn't trying to brush off what you asked me. I just don't want to talk about it."

"You could have just said that instead of ignoring me completely." Elena said pulling off her jacket and throwing it onto the chair.

Damon smiled as she undressed herself angrily. He took off his clothes trying not to show his amusement of her display of anger at him. He started laughing making her look up at him. Elena narrowed her eyes in irritation. 'Why the hell is he laughing like I told a joke?' She thought.

"What the hell is so funny?" Elena asked with an attitude.

"You're cute when you're angry." Damon told her.

Elena wanted him to say something stupid so she could have a reason to throw her flip flops at him. Of course he would say the sweetest thing and make her smile.

"You're lucky I like having you around." Elena said climbing into his bed.

Damon just laughed climbing into bed with her. The two ate the cookies in silence for a while before Damon sighed.

"I had to beat the crap of one of the guys down at the warehouse." Damon revealed suddenly.

"Why? What happened?" Elena asked concerned.

"It was just two dumbasses fighting for no reason. They somehow ended up fighting in Maddox and Luca's private rooms and Maddox got upset. His daughter is in the hospital and they were just annoying him. I gave him an extended leave so he could be with her." Damon explained in frustration.

"That's sweet. Will she be alright?" Elena asked.

"I hope so. I told Maddox to text me when she's feeling better … I'm just tired I guess. I nearly kicked his teeth in. We were together and I do not like people interrupting us unless it's important."

"It was important Damon." Elena said even though she knew she was lying.

Damon looked down at her smiling. He knew she was only trying to make him feel better about the situation.

"No it wasn't. Those two low scums did not have to be fighting over who would be selling the AK-47's. They're just two idiots." Damon said.

Elena just allowed Damon to lay his head on her chest. She stroked his soft raven black curls as he held her around the waist.

"I just want to spend my time with you now." Damon admitted.

Elena smiled. Sometimes he was the most romantic person without even trying. He could make a girl swoon with the most simplest of words. He said some things and it was like he didn't even notice the effect the words had on her. Elena could stay in his arms forever when they had moments like this.

"I know … I feel the exact same way." Elena told him smiling.

She could feel Damon smile against her chest. She stopped stroking his hair as he looked up to her. Their eyes locked in one of their famous stares. Elena felt as if she was the only thing in the world when Damon looked at her like this. Damon felt like all that was on the planet was him and Elena when she looked at him like that. He sat up higher and captured her lips with his own. Fireworks exploded underneath her lids as their lips met. There was no tongue yet she could felt the passion between the two of them. It was like nothing else mattered. They could spend forever within one another's arm and it would be enough to last them for an eternity. When they broke apart, they both had bright smiles on their faces.

"I wish we could spend forever like this." Elena whispered even though there was no reason to.

"We will someday. It'll be me and you like this, just being together without anything in the way."

Elena smiled at his words. How did she get the guy who always knew what to say? It was amazing.

Closed off from love

I didn't need the pain

Once or twice was enough

And it was all in vain

Time starts to pass

Before you know it you're frozen

But something happened

For the very first time with you

My heart melts into the ground

Found something true

And everyone's looking round

Thinking I'm going crazy

But I don't care what they say

I'm in love with you

They try to pull me away

But they don't know the truth

My heart's crippled by the vein

That I keep on closing

Elena looked around the house curiously as she heard music coming from living room. She saw Mani and Jeremy dancing slowly to the Leona Lewis hit and talking. Her eyes went wide. Okay, something was up. Would Jeremy really cheat on Bonnie after everything? Elena was not sure of that but she knew Mani had her full of assholes for a lifetime … So what the hell was she doing here dancing with Jeremy like she didn't have a care in the world.

"So are you still upset with me?" Elena heard her brother ask Mani.

"Jeremy I learned to stop expecting things from people a long time ago. It saves me a mountain of disappointment." She heard Mani reply.

"Mani I don't want you upset with me, you know how I feel about that."

"I know how you feel about a lot of things. You know it'll never change my reaction Jer yet you continue to do things like somehow things will change." Mani said to him.

Elena was getting confused. They couldn't see her because she hid in one of the side hallways by the living room. She did feel kind of guilty listening into their conversation but hey, the living room is public domain.

"Mani I-"

"Jer, just don't ruin this happy moment. I'm not still upset and I never really was. I just don't like Mia doing things like that."

"She's just a kid Mani. Mia won't be expecting much of anything until she's a little bit older."

Elena looked over the wall to see Mani shrug and Jeremy pulled her closer. Mani laid her head on his chest and Elena smiled. 'They could just be friends.' Elena thought to herself. 'But when did friends do things like Mani and Jeremy?' Elena replied to herself inside of her head. She had the urge to laugh at herself for arguing with herself about her brother's love life. Maybe she was just suspecting something because everyone knew Jeremy would cheat on his girlfriend. Everyone always suspected him of being a cheat because he had a history of doing so and all his friends who were in fact were girls were questionable. Elena knew Mani was close to her brother but she was catching on to how close and now everything looked suspect. Suddenly a shrill ring broke through the room. Elena watched as Jeremy fished a phone out of his back pocket.

"Hello?" He asked.

She watched Mani let go of Jeremy but continue to stand in front of him.

"Listen Bonnie, I'm busy. We can talk later … No, it's not work. It's important alright. Good-bye."

Elena's eyes enlarged as she watched Jeremy hang up on Bonnie. He was ditching Bonnie to dance in his living room. Things were getting beyond weird now. Elena heard little footsteps coming down the corridor on the other side of the house by the living room. Suddenly, Niklaus and Mia both bounced into the room.

"Hey, when did you two get up?" Jeremy asked bending down to the kids levels.

"We just did." Mia exclaimed getting into Jeremy's arms.

Elena smiled at the image. Jeremy needed a daughter, not with Bonnie though. Elena had enough of his baby mama drama now with Anna and didn't need another potential crazy one on her brother's trial. Bonnie was definitely crazy baby mama territory.

"Daddy, my birthday is next week!" Niklaus exclaimed.

"I know buddy." Jeremy said.

Mani picked up Niklaus and he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Mani smiled down at him.

"Are we going to the festival?" Niklaus asked.

"We always do buddy then we're having a barbeque here. Are you excited?"

Elena decided it was now safe to come from her hiding spot. She would never get any juicy information while the kids were around. Kids were always either cock blockers or instant conversation stoppers.

"Where's my invitation to the party?" Elena exclaimed.

"Elena!" The voices of both of the little ones exclaimed.

Elena watched as they squirmed out of the adults' arms and ran to her at full speed. Each one attached themselves to a leg smiling up at her.

"What are my two favorite people doing?" Elena asked looking down at them.

"We were napping. I had a dream about a princess!" Mia exclaimed.

"That's awesome Mia. What about you Klaus? What did you dream about?"

"We were going to the festival like we do for my birthday."

"I have a surprise for you at the festival alright. So the night of the concert you remind me." Elena instructed her nephew.

"I will do that Auntie Lena." Klaus promised.

Jeremy pried the children from his sister's legs smiling. He held one in each arm as they both snuggled into him.

"Is Bonnie coming over?" Elena questioned her brother trying not to sound like she was snooping.

"No. I'm spending the day with Mani and the kids." Jeremy told her looking at her suspiciously.

Elena just nodded her head wanting to smile but resisting the urge to do so.

"Where are you coming from?" Jeremy asked her.

"I, dear brother, am coming from the boarding house," Elena told him and saw Mani's smile, "I had a date with my best friend earlier. Stefan feels really neglected."

"So you aren't diving?" Jeremy asked her.

"I don't happen to be. I'm taking a break so I could just relax. You should try it."

Jeremy laughed holding both of the kids up. He looked back and forth then looked back at Elena.

"Somehow I doubt I'll get that relaxation."

"Is Anna getting him?" Elena questioned her brother.

"No. She's moving back in with her mom, Pearl so she can handle her course load with Klaus. I'm keeping him for three more weeks until she can get settled."

"I can't believe she agreed to that." Elena mumbled but she knew everyone in the room heard.

"She was reluctant but I'm not having my son going through that when he can stay here in peace. Anna knew it was final when I told her so. She doesn't want him around Bonnie." Jeremy explained.

"I haven't seen Bonnie in weeks. I thought you guys broked up." Klaus said.

Elena's eyes widened. Something was definitely going on.

"No we didn't break up buddy. I've just been busy." Jeremy said though Elena had a feeling he was lying.

For someone who despised being lied to, Jeremy was the King of all things Lies. Elena would find out what was going on. She was determined to.

"Well I'll give you a break. Come on little ones. Auntie Lena had cartoons and ice cream."

The kids cheered and squirmed out of Jeremy's arms over to Elena's side. She smiled triumphantly.

Hope you all enjoyed it. Let me know. -Nee